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Anyone ever have to testify? (My dog was attacked by another dog)

So last Friday night my 10 year old Chocolate Lab, Rufus, was attacked by a loose pit bull. I was walking Rufus on a leash in the common area of our neighborhood when this loose dog ran up and attacked my dog. It was horrible. Totally unprovoked as my dog didn't see it until it was on us. She eventually latched onto my dogs foot and wouldn't let go. I was trying to pull her off while kicking her, but I didn't want to pull my own dog's foot apart or get attacked myself! After yelling and screaming for help (I'm a 39 year old dude, it was plenty loud) finally neighbors from like 8 townhomes away came and helped beat the pitbull until it released. They were able to throw it into their yard and call animal control. I took my dog to the emergency vet where he got tons of staples in his foot and the base of his ear, which was torn up. He is doing much better now. Animal control came to the emergency vet and took pictures and my statement. The officer actually had the dog in custody and said it was likely a fighting dog because it had scars and was emaciated. Lovely. She called me the other day and said the owner came forward. Unfortunately the only path forward is to testify in court about the attack and then animal control can fine the owner and place restrictions on the dog. Has anyone done this before? What is it like? So the dog won't be killed...but it will be given back to this POS owner. I am assuming I would have to sue the owner to get my vet bills back, right? Ugh, that seems like it would cost more than I would get back! Any advice? To make things a bit more complicated, we moved into a new house this past weekend. I know the address of the pitbull owner and it is in my old neighborhood. He asked the officer for my address(according to the officer it is public knowledge since it is in the report)...perhaps to apologize? I don't know. He claimed the dog was missing for weeks. But it was still in the neighborhood! I am just a little worried if he is in fact involved in dog fighting, will he come after me if I testify? Things like that. I am not scared and I want to do the right thing, but I also have a wife and two kids to worry about! I will definitely tell the HOA about this owner having a pitbull. They are not allowed in the neighborhood. Thanks for listening!

My dog was attacked three times by the same pitbull. The first time I rescued my dog just as the other dog got to her and no injuries. The second and third time it was bad! Thousand dollars in vet bills. In the three years between the second and third attack, I never got one penny from the owner. After the third attack I managed to get a few hundred dollars from the owner, then she moved. After the second attack, animal control deemed the dog viscous and it was supposed to be locked in a 6 foot chain link fence with a roof inside of a privacy fence. Obviously that didn't happen since the dog was attacked again. After the third attack the dog was taken by animal control and put down. It had also killed a few cats in the neighborhood before it attacked my dog, in my yard on a leash.

Word of advise. Take pictures, and file your claim now. You'll likely never see a dime for years, if at all.

Do you know if the owner of the dog owns or rents his townhouse? If they do you need to get their homeowners/rental insurance company and file a claim. You can get paid out under that for your vet bills. I'm thinking the owner wants your address to apologize and possibly ask you to reconsider testifying. If it were me personally I would most likely testify. I'd think what if it wasn't my dog and one of my kids?

Do you know if the owner of the dog owns or rents his townhouse? If they do you need to get their homeowners/rental insurance company and file a claim. You can get paid out under that for your vet bills. I'm thinking the owner wants your address to apologize and possibly ask you to reconsider testifying. If it were me personally I would most likely testify. I'd think what if it wasn't my dog and one of my kids?

What are the odds this incredibly responsible pet owner went out of their way to get a rider on their policy for pit bulls? I believe most homeowners/renters insurance do not cover this breed.

To the OP, you'll likely need to file a civil suit in order to recoup any money. If you go to the county courthouse website, it'll have a list of things you should do before going to court such as notifying them in writing and ask to essentially settle out of court. If all else fails, you can go to court. Expect it to be expensive.

To the OP, you'll likely need to file a civil suit in order to recoup any money. If you go to the county courthouse website, it'll have a list of things you should do before going to court such as notifying them in writing and ask to essentially settle out of court. If all else fails, you can go to court. Expect it to be expensive.

Why pick hairs you SOB. Are you refuting my claim that many (possibly most) homeowners/rental insurances do not cover what we would refer to as a Pit Bull? Or does pointing out that it isn't a specific breed somehow invalidating my point? Does my pointing out that you are a retard invalidate your points? Maybe it should.